Half a million pounds in criminal cash seized during Operation Henhouse 3

Merseyside Police has taken part in Operation Henhouse, a month-long intensification period, tackling fraud, resulting in 10 arrests and suspected criminal cash totalling £548,887 seized.

Now in its third year, this annual national operation ran throughout February and is funded by the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC), allowing police forces nationwide to either scale-up existing fraud investigations, or dedicate extra resources for exploring new cases.

The government has set out its commitment to tackle economic crime and illicit finance in its Economic Crime Plan, and tackling crimes such as fraud, money laundering and cybercrime is a key priority for Merseyside Police.

Detective Chief Inspector Mike Dalton of Merseyside Police’s Economic Crime Team said: “Economic crime covers a wide range of offences involving money, finance or assets, and the offenders committing these offences range from the opportunist to organised crime gangs.

“With some of the more complex cases, we are seeing criminals become more convincing and finding new ways of using technology to defraud people. The impact on victims can be devastating, both financially and emotionally.

“Lots of people fall victim to fraud every day and often it’s the most vulnerable members of our communities that are targeted by criminals. This is why tackling fraud is a priority for us day in, day out, and Operation Henhouse is an opportunity for us to send a clear message to those who commit fraud. This deceitful and deplorable crime will not be tolerated – we will find you and we will work to put you before the courts.

“Our work to confiscate the proceeds of crime from offenders is not limited to those convicted of economic crime. We will go after the assets of any defendant that has been helping fill the coffers of organised crime.

“Last week, Stephen Gildea, 38, learned he will lose his current available assets of £203,039 after a confiscation order was granted at Liverpool Crown Court. He was convicted of possessing controlled drugs with intent to supply in May 2022 and was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment. If he is unable to pay the amount ordered by the court in three months, he will serve a further 18 months by default at the conclusion of his current sentence.

“During the last few weeks, detectives from the Economic Crime Team have worked tirelessly alongside cybercrime colleagues with support from local officers and specialist teams to identify offenders, make arrests, seize cash and successfully impose the forfeiture of assets via court orders.”

In Merseyside, this year’s Operation Henhouse has seen investigators outfox dozens of criminals with activity during February amounting to:

• 10 arrests
• 12 search warrants executed
• 5 Account Freezing Orders amounting to £287,733
• £19,000 of assets forfeited
• £548,887 of cash seized

During the same period, the government launched Stop! Think Fraud, a national campaign against fraud. The campaign draws on the expertise of leading counter-fraud experts and includes an online fraud hub to provide concise, easy-to-follow advice. It will also signpost victims to relevant organisations for further advice and support.

Detective Chief Inspector Dalton added: “The Stop! Think Fraud campaign aims to educate people and encourage them to take a moment to stop when they encounter potential fraud – taking a moment to think about the circumstances and look into it before making payments or providing personal details.

“In addition to us backing the campaign, we have also delivered cybercrime and fraud awareness inputs at community groups, schools, colleges and universities to help prevent people becoming a victim of fraud. Numerous safeguarding visits have also been completed to protect vulnerable elderly fraud victims.”

For advice on how to spot the tactics and techniques commonly used by fraudsters, to help reduce your risk of becoming a victim, visit the new Stop! Think Fraud website at stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk

If you suspect you have been the victim of fraud, visit Action Fraud for advice at www.actionfraud.police.uk and report it online or by calling 0300 123 2040.

If you have information about those committing any type of economic crime or cybercrime, you can pass information via Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: crimestoppers-uk.org